What to wear to a fall wedding

**Please excuse the Christmas background–these are old photos from last year! I was going to re-shoot the dress so the background was current but then figured that was ridiculous and you guys wouldn’t mind bc you’re the best 😂 Above: My favorite dress that was my go-to for weddings and holiday parties last season is back in stock here (comes in lot’s of colors!) and is perfect for this wedding season! Similar Sam Edelman Pumps, and my Kendra Scott earrings are old, but their Wedding jewelry line has some beautiful similar styles!

It seems like just yesterday I published my “What to Wear to a Spring Wedding” post–ahhh! But here we are–it’s officially Fall wedding season! I’ve received questions from several of you asking for fall wedding guest attire ideas, so I’ve updated my seasonal wedding wear guide to reflect all my favorite picks for fall–along with some advice on wedding attire guidelines, if you missed them the first time around!

WHAT TO WEAR TO A FALL WEDDING:

These days, I feel like the “seasonally appropriate” lines have been blurred. For example, you can still wear florals and lace in the colder months–it just needs to have more of a “fall undertone”–instead of bright florals, go for dark, moody florals–instead of pastel lace, go for a dark burgundy or emerald lace–rather than hot pink, go for pale dusty rose. Make sense?

Personally, I think as long as something doesn’t scream “AHHHH SUMMMERRRRR!” then you’re fine 😂

Take the dress I’m wearing above, for example–it’s lace, but it works because it’s such a fall/winter hue. I wore it to holiday events and a winter wedding! (It sold out fast so I’m so glad they re-stocked it this year! It’s SO flattering! Heads up: it is quite small in the ribcage, so size up if you’re on the fence.) It comes in lot’s of beautiful colors!

Favorite places to shop for wedding guest dresses: Nordstrom (where I shop most often) has a huge selection of wedding guest dresses, as does Bloomingdales (I love their AQUA line that is really affordable!) Shopbop also has some really beautiful unique dresses for both cocktail and evening–a lot of their price points are on the expensive side, but the trick is to sort from lowest to highest! I also recently got some dresses from And Other Stories and they are so beautiful and different! Finally, its hard to beat ASOS selection and prices!

FALL WEDDING GUEST DRESSES: COCKTAIL ATTIRE

Anytime the invitation does not specific that the attire is black tie, you can assume the attire is cocktail. Now, there are definitely several different types of cocktail dresses–some are more glitzy and great for a more formal wedding, some are more breezy and floral and great for a destination wedding–but essentially the word “cocktail attire” means “nice” dresses that aren’t formal gowns. (A nice jumpsuit can work, too, as long as it’s a formal one that you wear with nice shoes, like this!)

Or, look at it this way–if you would feel overdressed wearing it to a luncheon and underdressed wearing it to a gala–that’s cocktail attire. Shorter above the knee or midi dresses are appropriate here. You can also go with a maxi that is less formal and more casual, but still chic! Back in the day, the term “cocktail” used to mean shorter dresses, but in 2018, it’s not taken so literally, and you can make any length you’d like work for pretty much any occasion!

Shop cocktail dresses + jumpsuits:

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**Please excuse the Christmassy background–remember these are old photos I took last Christmas 😂

FALL WEDDING GUEST DRESSES: A BLACK TIE AFFAIR

Black Tie and Black Tie Optional weddings are usually a fun time to spring for a gown. The “optional” part just means that you don’t HAVE to wear a gown, and that if you wear a cocktail dress that’s OK too. (I mean, how often do you get an excuse to wear a gown? So that’s fun!) Midi dresses are also totally fine for black tie optional, as are shorter dresses–you just want to make sure they’re dressier than something you’d, say, wear to a 2pm wedding at a country club. When in complete doubt, go with a black dress like this one, this one, or this one, that will suit you for any kind of attire for any season, from cocktail through black tie.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH RENTING DRESSES:

If you do decide to go with a formal gown, renting it is also a great option. You never want to spend hundreds of dollars on something you know you might not get the chance to wear ever again! Plus, who wants a long gown taking up closet space anyway? I love Rent the Runway and usually go that route when it comes to black tie attire. They have a decent selection (just try and plan ahead if you can because a lot of the good dresses get booked out) and I really love that you can sort by price, occasion, and there are also lot’s of photos that real women have uploaded wearing the dress–which is perhaps the most helpful of all!

You can find a lot of affordable options (designer dresses to rent for under $100!) plus, they send two sizes just in case. One thing I will say to keep in mind though: have a backup. I’ve never NEEDED a backup, but it’s better safe than sorry.

Of course, your backup might not be something you’re super EXCITED to wear (that one black dress you’ve worn to like 5 other weddings already will totally suffice), but if all else fails and your rental dress won’t zip, you will feel better with SOMETHING to fall back on.

FALL DAY VS NIGHT WEDDING:

One thing to note is that if the wedding is during the day, you can get away with dressing a little less formal than if it were at night. Also consider the setting–while a a barn, backyard, garden, glitzy hotel and country club might all be “cocktail” attire, for example, you can easily feel great wearing a more casual floral dress to one, whereas you’ll probably feel underdressed wearing that to a swanky hotel downtown. Also, it’s always a good idea to bring a wrap like this one just in case it gets chilly!

**Please excuse the Christmassy background–remember these are old photos I took last Christmas 😂

FALL WEDDING GUEST ACCESSORIES:

SHOES:

You will rarely see me at a fall/winter wedding not wearing a pair of nude or black heels–9 times out of 10, they’re the most ideal choice! Invest in one good pair that you’ll wear all wedding season long for years to come. I’m including my favorites below!

And we can’t forget the age old question–Can you wear flats to a wedding? Of course you can! I prefer flats with a pointer toe, as I think they’re more dressy and refined. You can even go with some beaded or sparkly flats if that’s your style! I’m including more options below!

WRAPS:

A trusty pashmina comes in handy whether you’re under the stars at an autumn barn wedding or in a chilly hotel ballroom. Plus, it’s nice to have something to cover your shoulders for a church ceremony if you’re wearing a strapless or thin-strapped dress!

JEWELRY:

You always want to decide which elements of your outfit are the star of the show. Are you wearing a simple black dress? You can go bolder with a statement earring and simple shoes. Do you have a beautiful dramatic gown? Go with a simple pair of studs. Are your shoes doing the talking? Go simple everywhere else. Throw in too many dramatic elements, and it can go south really quickly! Regardless of which direction you go with, I’m adding some of my favorites below!

HANDBAG:

Just like jewelry, I kind of am in the camp of “less is more” with a handbag. You should have a neutral colored clutch and a black clutch, and that’s all you should need. Don’t feel like you have to go crazy! Honestly, I prefer beaded vintage clutches (find some in your favorite vintage store!) but I also found two really cute new versions online that I’ll list below as well!

This is great! It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time either since I’m shopping for a black tie wedding this weekend. I love how you shared so many good options that will work well for various body types. Thanks for sharing!